Monday

Jun 19, 2017 at 2:01 AM

If you go down Western Boulevard in the summer time then odds are you’ve seen the Ice Guy in front of Rita’s Italian Ice at least two or three times during the week.

The Ice Guy is appealing with his friendly large eyes and jolly smile. He waves, dances and waddles along the sidewalk in front of the Rita’s franchise. And this mascot, like others among him, have a multitude of purposes: to entice you to buy, to entertain, to draw attention, and to create awareness all in a consistent manner.

Some argue the use of a mascot goes back as far as the day of the caveman. But, as far as I can credibly research, true mascots date back to the 1800’s. How is a mascot defined, anyway? Really, a mascot is any person, animal, or object thought to bring motivation or inspiration.

According to topendsports.com, a resource website for professional athletes, the first college mascot was in 1889 named “Handsome Dan,” an English bulldog for Yale University. The symbolic Yale Bulldog tradition actually began a couple years earlier than Handsome Dan’s arrival, when Harper, a champion English bulldog, was escorted to football games to encourage the athletes and the crowd. To do so, however, mascots must have personality.

Let’s go back to Rita’s on Western.

“Sales increase anywhere between 10- to 20- percent on average. Especially on a weekend with high traffic,” Chun Wang shared. He’s the owner of Rita’s and has been at that Western Boulevard location for eight years now and he’s quickly approaching his ninth. But, the franchise itself has been going for 35 years strong. “The key to creating a profit, is putting your mascot to work. He has to move around, get out there, and catch the eye of everyone they meet.”

And that, Wang agreed, means exuding a distinct sense of charm. Bottom line, they must work hard, make direct eye contact with the consumer and stand out in cluttered environments to make that Point of Sale, or the place at which goods are retailed.

Weather permitting, of course, a business should use their mascots no less than two or three times every week.

Wang, who is also originally from Pennsylvania, invested a cool $1,000 in the Ice Guy. But, in the long run, they end up paying for themselves. In fact, Wang’s business was able to recoup the expense of the Ice Guy within a single month.

Employees share in the duties of being the Ice Guy and so, too, does Wang. It’s a job that is actually extremely exhausting. Think about it: The Carolina heat, breathing in and out for 45 minutes in a claustrophobic mask, all the while trying to remain in motion, chipper, real in potential customers.

Despite all that, Wang says, an important reason why business owners should invest in a mascot is also to create a sense of familiarity.

“Being in a transient town, we have a lot of people coming from the North East. The New York, Delaware and Jersey area. So, when they see the Ice Guy ,they know we are here, too,” he said.

Founded by former Philadelphia firefighter, Bob Tumolo, in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, Rita’s is practically a staple for those who are from that area.

“It gives them a little sense of being back home,” Wang said.

Providing comfort and to become more personable to his clientele, is exactly why Phillip Henry, co-owner of Master Dong’s Martial Arts in Morehead City, trademarked his own mascot, Master Tae Grr — a vibrant Gi-wearing tiger that has a very caring and friendly smile.

A unique play on the word "Tiger" and the sport of Tae Kwon Do, Master Tae Grr’s has a duel target audience to help the parent and the child. Teaching Tae Kwon Do since 2010, Master Dong’s Martial Arts little tiger program is specially designed for kids ages four through six (though interestingly their oldest student is 70 years old). It’s an introduction to their Martial Arts discipline or their “Taegrr Cubs.”

There are two types of personalties their mascot aims to reach. The first, is geared towards the more shy and reserved child or the child who needs to “unleash their inner tiger.” And second, the more rambunctious lad who needs to learn to calm or “tame their inner tiger.” Either way, Henry asserts, Master Tae Grr helps satisfy those two needs many parents have.

“The mascot we use is specifically designed for 4-6 age group — the Taegrr Cubs. As far as the marketing aspect goes, it’s appealing and it helps our kids feel more comfortable. Master Tae Grr is approachable, but also helps with brand recognition,” said Henry.

It’s Henry’s wife, Shannon Henry, who actually plays the part.

“We don’t bring him (Master Tae Grr) out during every class, but he does visit once a month or once every six weeks. He does a meet and greet, then goes back to his den when class starts,” Henry said. It’s a balance, he explained, between giving his students (or customers for that matter) what they want which in this case is to see Master Tae Grr, but to also make sure the mascot doesn’t lose its appeal. Sometimes too much of a good thing can be just that. And then the business can suffer.

While Henry has no plans to add another mascot any time soon to help bolster other martial art skill levels, because of the success of Master Tae Grr, both he and Shannon have toyed with the idea. In any case, they’re not ready to reveal just what kind of animal they’re “possibly” considering.

Reporter Tiffanie DiDonato can be reached at Tiffanie.Gabrielse@JDNews.com

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